List of defunct rugby league clubs

This is a list of defunct professional rugby league clubs.

Australia

New South Wales Rugby League (1908-1994)

Club	First year	Last Year	Reason
Annandale	1910	1920
Cumberland	1908	1908
Glebe Dirty Reds	1908	1929
Newcastle Rebels	1908	1909	Newcastle exist in the modern day competition, in a new form. The "original" Newcastle side disbanded in 1909 to form the Newcastle competition, and the "modern" Newcastle Knights were formed in 1988.
Newtown Jets	1908	1983	Newtown Jets still exist at New South Wales Cup level. Excluded for financial reasons.
University	1920	1937

ARL (1995-1997), SL (1997) and NRL (1998-)

Club	First Year	Last Year	Reason
Adelaide Rams	1997	1998	Shutdown as part of the ARL and Super League merger to end the Super League war.
Balmain Tigers	1908	1999	Merged with the Western Suburbs Magpies to become the Wests Tigers in 2000.
Gold Coast Chargers	1988	1998	Shutdown as part of the ARL and Super League merger to end the Super League war.
Hunter Mariners	1997	1997	Shutdown as part of the ARL and Super League merger to end the Super League war.
Illawarra Steelers	1982	1998	Merged with the St. George Dragons to become the St George Illawarra Dragons in 1999.
North Sydney Bears	1908	1999	Merged with the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles to become the Northern Eagles in 2000.
Northern Eagles	2000	2002	Reverted to Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles for the 2003 NRL Season.
St. George Dragons	1921	1998	Merged with the Illawarra Steelers to become the St George Illawarra Dragons in 1999.
South Queensland Crushers	1995	1997	Shutdown as part of the ARL and Super League merger to end the Super League war.
Western Reds	1995	1997	Shutdown as part of the ARL and Super League merger to end the Super League war.
Western Suburbs Magpies	1908	1999	Merged with the Balmain Tigers to become the Wests Tigers in 2000.

The teams listed above, with the exception of Adelaide, Hunter, Gold Coast, Northern Eagles and South Queensland still participate in lower level competitions, including the NSW Cup, S.G. Ball and Harold Matthews competitions.

Queensland Cup (1996-)

This section particularly includes the Queensland Rugby League sides which no longer compete in the top level of that league.

Club	First year	Last Year	Reason
Brothers-Valleys	2002	2002
Bundaberg Grizzlies
Cairns Cyclones	1996	1996
Central Capras
Gold Coast Vikings	1982	1995
Logan Scorpions	1987	2002	Merged with Souths Magpies to form Souths Logan Magpies.
Mackay Sea Eagles
Past Brothers	1917	1998
Port Moresby Vipers
Sunshine Coast Falcons	1996	1996
Souths Magpies	1921	2002	Merged with the Logan Scorpions to form Souths Logan Magpies.
Toowoomba Clydesdales	1996	2006
Townsville Stingers
Wests Panthers	1915	2003

Brisbane Rugby League (1909-1997)

Club	First year	Last Year
Fortitude Valley Diehards	1909	1995
Milton
Toombul	1996	1996
University	1922	1933

England

These clubs competed in the Northern Union and the rugby leagues from 1895. National League 3 (2002–2006), whilst not by strict definition amateur, is not recognised as a professional league.

Club	Area	First year	Last Year	Notes
Acton & Willesden	London	1935	1936
Altrincham	Cheshire	1901	1902
Birkenhead Wanderers	Cheshire	1901	1904	Club played at Prenton Park throughout its playing years.
Blackpool Borough	Lancashire	1954	1993	Became Springfield Borough (1987–88); Chorley Borough (1988); Trafford Borough (1989–92). Moved back to Blackpool in 1992 as Blackpool Gladiators (1992–93).
Blackpool Panthers	Lancashire	2004	2010	Created as separate entity formed from the remains of Chorley Borough/Lancashire Lynx.
Bradford	Yorkshire	1864	1907	Switched to association football and became Bradford (Park Avenue).
Bramley	Yorkshire	1896	1999	Bramley were reformed as Bramley Buffaloes in 2004, joining National League 3.
Brighouse Rangers	Yorkshire	1895	1906	Still survives as an amateur club.
Broughton Rangers	Lancashire	1895	1946	Moved and renamed Belle Vue Rangers (1946–55); Resurrected as Manchester Rangers in 2012
Carlisle	Cumbria	1981	1997	Merged with Barrow Braves to become Barrow Border Raiders, now called Barrow Raiders
Carlisle City	Cumberland	1928	1928	Resigned mid-season
Castleford	Yorkshire	1896	1906	Unrelated to Castleford/Castleford Tigers (founded 1926), or Castleford (RU) (founded 1870)
Chorley Lynx	Lancashire	1989	1995	Formed as Chorley Borough following boardroom split with original Chorley Borough. Dropped from the league and re-admitted as the Chorley Chieftains who after moving to Preston became Lancashire Lynx and then Chorley Lynx (back in Chorley). In 2004 the club folded. New club formed in Blackpool as Blackpool Panthers.
Coventry	Warwickshire	1910	1913
Gateshead Thunder (1999)	Durham	1999	1999	Merged with Hull Sharks after 1999 season. Newcastle Thunder formed as a replacement club in 2001.
Goole	Yorkshire	1901	1902
Heckmondwike	Yorkshire	1896 -1899	1901 -1902
Holbeck	Yorkshire	1896	1904
Hunslet	Yorkshire	1895	1973	New Hunslet (now Hunslet Hawks) formed as a replacement club
Kent Invicta / Southend Invicta	Kent Essex	1983	1985	Became Southend Invicta for the 1984/85 season
Lancaster	Lancashire	1901	1905
Leeds Parish Church	Yorkshire	1896	1901
Liverpool City	Lancashire	1906	1909	The original Liverpool City - unconnected to the Liverpool City which played between 1951 and 1968.
Liversedge	Yorkshire	1895	1902
Manningham	Yorkshire	1895	1903	Switched to association football and became Bradford City AFC.
Mansfield Marksman/ Nottingham City	Nottinghamshire	1984	1993	Moved to Nottingham in 1989 and continued as an amateur club after relegation from the professional leagues in 1993.
Millom	Cumberland	1899	1907	Still survives as an amateur club.
Morecambe	Lancashire	1896 -1899	1901 -1907
Newcastle	Northumberland	1936	1938
Normanton	Yorkshire	1901	1907	Still survives as an amateur club
Pontefract	Yorkshire	1903	1907
Radcliffe	Lancashire	1901	1902
Runcorn	Cheshire	1895	1914
Scarborough Pirates	North Yorkshire	1991	1992
Sheffield Eagles (1984)	South Yorkshire	1984	1999	Merged with Huddersfield Giants after the 1999 season. Replacement club Sheffield Eagles formed 2000.
South Shields	Northumberland	1902	1904
Sowerby Bridge	Yorkshire	1901	1902
St Helens Recs	Lancashire	1918	1939	Reformed as an amateur side Pilkington Recs in 1949
Stockport	Cheshire	1895	1903
Streatham & Mitcham	London	1935	1936
Tyldesley	Lancashire	1895	1900	Reverted back to Rugby Union (1911) after some years in lower leagues.
Wigan Highfield / London Highfield / Liverpool Stanley / Liverpool City / Huyton / Runcorn Highfield / Highfield / Prescot Panthers	Lancashire London Cheshire Merseyside	1922	1997	Wigan Highfield moved to London in 1933 and played one season as London Highfield. At the end of the season they moved to Liverpool, becoming Liverpool Stanley (1934-51) and Liverpool City (1951-68). Left Liverpool and continued as Huyton (1969-85); Runcorn Highfield (1985-90); Highfield (1991-96) and Prescot Panthers (1996-97).
York Wasps	Yorkshire	1895	2002	York City Knights formed as a replacement club.

France

AS Saint Estève (1965-2000)

Merged with XIII Catalan to form Union Treiziste Catalane.

Marseille XIII (1946-2006)
Paris Saint-Germain (1996-1997)
XIII Catalan (1935-2000)

Merged with AS Saint Estève to form Union Treiziste Catalane.

New Zealand

Bartercard Cup (2000-)

Eastern Tornadoes (2000 - 2005)
Marist Richmond Brothers (2000 - 2005)
North Harbour Tigers (2003 - 2005)
Otahuhu Ellerslie Leopards (2004 - 2005)
Porirua Pumas (2000 - 2001)
Taranaki Wildcats (2002 - 2003)

Lion Red Cup (1994-1996)

Wales

Welsh League (1908 - 1909)

(these teams also competed in the Northern Rugby Football Union)

Club	First year	Last Year	International capped players
Aberdare RLFC	1908	1909	Will Hopkins for Wales 1908 against England
Barry RLFC	1908	1908
Ebbw Vale RLFC	1907	1912	Oliver Burgham for Wales 1908 against New Zealand and England John "Jack" Foley for Wales 1909 against England W. E. 'Chick' Jenkins for Wales 1908-1912 (7-caps) Lewis Llewellyn for Wales 1910-1912 (4-caps).
Merthyr Tydfil RLFC	1907	1911	David Davies for Wales 1909 against England David 'Dai' 'Tarw' Jones for Wales 1908 against New Zealand, and for Great Britain 1908 against New Zealand (2 matches)
Mid-Rhondda RLFC	1908	1909
Treherbert RLFC	1908	1910	David Galloway (#9) for Wales 1909 and 1910 against England (2 caps)

Welsh League (1949-55)

Club	First year	Last Year	International capped players	Notes
Aberavon RLFC	1949	1955	Melvyn Ford for Wales while at Aberavon 1951
Amman Valley RLFC	1949	1955		Played at Brewery Field, with Bridgend RFC temporarily moving out.
Bridgend RLFC	1949	1955
Cardiff RLFC	1951	1952	Milson Hunt for Wales while at Cardiff in 1951 Glyn Morgan for Wales while at Huddersfield, and Cardiff 1947-1949 4-caps Ted Ward for Wales while at Wigan, and Cardiff 1946-1951 13-caps, and for Great Britain while at Wigan in 1946 against Australia (2 matches) and New Zealand	Also played in the Northern Rugby Football Union
Llanelli RLFC	1949	1955
Neath RLFC	1949	1955	Roy Lambert for Wales while at Neath, Dewsbury, and Warrington 1950-1952 (7 caps)
Swansea RLFC	1949	1955
Ystradgynlais RLFC	1949	1955

Northern Rugby Football Union (1895- )

Club	First year	Last Year	International capped players	Notes
Cardiff City Blue Dragons	1981	1984		Relocated and became Bridgend Blue Dragons (1984-1985) before disbanding.
Pontypridd^[1]	1926	1927	Ponty Davies won caps for Wales 1926-1927 2-caps, and while at Warrington in 1928 Bert Green for Wales 1926-1927 2-caps George Oliver for Wales (RU) for Wales (RU) while at Pontypool RFC in 1920 against England, Scotland, France, and Ireland, and for Wales (RL) while at Hull, and Pontypridd 1921-1927 (4-caps) Billy Rhodes for Wales 1926 Les White for Wales while at Pontypridd and Hunslet 1928-1933 (7-caps) for England while at Hunslet 1933 against Australia, and for Great Britain while at Hunslet in 1932 against Australia (3 matches), and New Zealand (2 matches), and in 1933 Australia (2 matches)
South Wales	1996	-		Lasted one season - by 1996 the season had switched to summer.
Celtic Crusaders	2005	2011		Initially based in Bridgend, 2010 and 2011 were played in Wrexham as the Crusaders

References

↑ "Pontypridd Rugby League".

External links

All league tables for the UK pro game since 1895

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